Suzhou is a city located in the center of the Yangtze River delta area and on the shores of Lake Taihu with a history of 2,500-year-old. The natural scenery of hills and waters in Suzhou is as charming as a delicate beauty. Of the whole area, 10 percent is cultivated fields, 30 percent hills, and the rest covered with water. The poetic and picturesque Suzhou gardens are a typical demonstration of simple elegance, with intriguing scenes found in every season and in all weathers. The folks here are honest, good-natured, friendly and hospitable---a tradition from times of yore.
Today’s Suzhou is an open city with developed economy and frequent exchanges with the outside world. It has been officially declared part of “the coastal economic open zone of the Yangtze Delta”. Geographically, Suzhou is located at the northern edge of the subtropical zone. It has a clear distinction of 4 seasons in a year. With a yearly average temperature of 16 degree centigrade, Suzhou’s climate is very moderate.
Suzhou was named Wu in the ancient times. The city has a rich history of 2,500 yeas. First built in 514 B.C, King Helu of Wu State built his capital here known as the “Great city of Helu”, and since then the city’s site and scale have remained virtually unchanged, making Suzhou a rare city of historical and cultural renown in the world. Historically, this is a remarkable place rich in outstanding talents and natural resources. The city is praised as “the earthly heaven” for its fully developed traditional culture and its scenic gardens.
Adjoining Shanghai City to the east, Wuxi City to the west, Zhejiang Province to the south and facing the Yangtze River to the north, it covers an area of 8,488.42 square kilometers, 8.27% of the whole province. The city proper covers 392 square kilometers, among which 74 square kilometers is the newly added district of the city, 14.2 square kilometers is the old city.